1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key input apparatus such as a keyboard or keypad, and, more particularly, to a key input apparatus using a magnetic force, an operating method thereof, and a computer-readable recording medium storing at least one computer program to perform the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A key input apparatus may be composed of a single key, or a plurality of keys, such as in the form of a keyboard. The keyboard provides a user interface which allows a user to input data to a computer connected to the keyboard. Accordingly, the keyboard may be used as a data input device of a communication terminal. The communication terminal refers to all kinds of data processing devices, including, for example, general personal computers (PCs) and cellular phones.
Types of conventional key input apparatuses include a purely mechanical type, a form element type, a rubber dome type, a membrane switch type, a capacitor switch type, etc. These types are classified according to the switching mode used.
A conventional key input apparatus appears the same in a busy state and an idle state, thereby suffering from three problems.
First, the conventional key input apparatus fails to provide alternative work space when being used as the key input apparatus. For example, a keyboard connected to a desktop computer generally occupies office work space on a desk. Accordingly, when the work space is narrow and the user does not perform computer work, the office work space is used inefficiently due to the keyboard having keys projected at a fixed height at all times.
Second, among the conventional key input apparatuses, those for which the keys must not protrude very high do not have a good stroke touch. For example, the keys of the keyboard of a laptop computer are low in view of a product feature. Therefore, a user of the laptop computer does not have a good stroke touch.
Finally, a conventional key input apparatus is not a user-oriented device. For example, a user who loves computer games mainly makes use of the cursor (or arrow) keys of a keyboard. As such, the other keys are unnecessarily projected in view of space use efficiency. Further, force applied for a stroke is different according to the user and his/her fingers. Thus, for the same keyboard, some users feel comfortable with the stroke touch, while others feel uncomfortable with the stroke touch.